The ease of digesting various biomass sources into simpler molecules such as fermentable sugars relates to the utility of those sources for generating biofuels and other useful products. Pretreatment of plant biomass using harsh chemicals (strong acids, strong bases, ammonia) can help break down some of the complex polymers in plant materials. However, such pretreatment is expensive and the harsh chemicals employed can be toxic. What are needed are new types of plant biomass and methods of generating plant biomass that is more readily digested.